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Shipping firms lining up for Cuba ferry services
The competition is heating up to become the first ferry operator to provide scheduled overnight sea crossings from Florida to Cuba.
TravelMole reported earlier this year plans for a Florida Keys-Havana high speed catamaran service, and now several other operators are keen to climb aboard the Cuban bandwagon.
The Wall Street Journal reports at least four other shipping firms have applied for licenses from the U.S. State Department to operate sea crossings from the Sunshine State.
One operator, Greek owned Arista Shipping, has teamed up with cruise industry veteran Bruce Nierenberg, to establish a Miami-based joint venture United Caribbean Lines (UCL).
The new company plans to launch overnight sailings from Miami to Havana three times a week.
"The growth opportunities are tremendous. There are 10 million people in Cuba and thousands of Americans that will be offered a long-forgotten travel experience at about half the cost of an air ticket," says Arista Shipping owner Alexander Panagopoulos.
In the future UCL plans to add a second vessel to serve the route daily and may also launch crossings from other Florida ports such as Tampa or the Florida Keys.
Panagopoulos acknowledges restrictions on general travel will likely still be enforced in the short term.
"The license will specify who and what can travel," he said.
"In the beginning we expect to move passengers and cargo including personal effects, household goods and humanitarian aid. Later cars and trucks could also be allowed."
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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